Author Archive: Charles

ShareMatthew 8:1-13 Have you ever met someone who had a commanding sense of authority? An authority so great that everyone around silently took notice and responded to the mere physical presence of this person? When I first began my career as a teacher my senior year in college as a student teacher, it became […]

ShareMatthew 7:13-29 When I lived in England with my family for 10 months several years ago (to begin my Ph.D. work at Lancaster University), we lived in student housing. We had a family flat, which wasn’t too bad – except that it was on the fourth floor. One of the most memorable experiences, and not […]

ShareMatthew 7:1-14 God. What does this word mean to you? When you think of God, what are the first images, thoughts, and feelings you experience? What stands out as His most important characteristic? I’ll give you my answers – but no cheating! When I think of “God,” sometimes He is a concept I’ve been taught […]

ShareMatthew 6:19-34 “You cannot serve two masters.” You cannot serve both God and wealth, and you cannot serve both God and self. You’ve heard the saying, from old Westerns, “This town ain’t big enough for the both of us.” Well, your life ain’t big enough for 2 opposing masters. So who’s your master? Who […]

ShareMatthew 6:1-18 Jesus spoke at length about 3 spiritual disciplines that He assumes His disciples are practicing. These 3 disciplines Jesus preaches on are 3 that have for centuries been a part of Lent, as well as a fundamental part of the Christian life as a whole until the time of the Reformation. Can you […]

ShareMatthew 5:38-48 I told you some time ago that love is the strongest thing known to man. This only makes sense when you remember that we were wrought in love and formed from the substance of God’s love. How could we not be made for love? However, I find that there are a lot of […]

ShareMatthew 5:27-37 In the previous passage in the Sermon on the Mount we talked about how Jesus’ teaching is an intensification of the Law: to not get angry is much more difficult than to not murder. Likewise, today, to not lust is much, much more difficult than to not commit adultery. It’s not so much […]

ShareMatthew 5:17-26 The Sermon on the Mount, as I alluded to in my commentary on Matthew 5:1-16, is Jesus’ perfect exposition of the Law. He who gave the Law and perfectly kept it is also its most perfect interpreter. After establishing that God’s Law will not pass away, Jesus begins to apply it in a […]

ShareMatthew 5:1-16 The Sermon on the Mount in general and the Beatitudes in particular are as dense as a black hole! It’s a little intimidating trying to say something meaningful about the Beatitudes in such a small space, but here goes. The first thing that strikes me is the very name Beatitudes. This […]

ShareMatthew 4:12-25 “And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” I want […]

Parents as Pastors – The Prayer Book and the Anglican Family

Give Us This Day – Matthew

SharePossibly the Most Important Theological Work of the 20th Century Pope John Paul II’s “Man and Woman He Created Them,” popularly known as “A Theology of the Body” may be the most important theological work of the 20th century. I say this because John Paul II is not only a first-rate theologian but also because […]

ShareExcellent Analysis of Eastern Orthodox Conversions in America Amy Slagle’s “The Eastern Church in the Spiritual Marketplace” is an excellent, scholarly look at conversions to Eastern Orthodoxy in America. As an Anglican priest and professor, I’ve been interested in Eastern Orthodoxy, and especially the churches in the U.S. However, information other than that provided by […]

ShareStriking New Insights Into the Rise and Growth of Christianity I’m a big fan of Rodney Stark because his works are both scholarly and readable, as well as being well-argued, well-researched, and positively revelatory. His new book, “The Triumph of Christianity,” is similar to his earlier work, “The Rise of Christianity.” However he not only […]

ShareWise and Wonderful, Profound and Practical Marriage is clearly a troubled institution in American culture, and that includes even among American Christians. The problem is that so often Christians have accepted the world’s definitions of marriage. While many Christian books have been written on marriage, Tim Keller’s “The Meaning of Marriage” is one of the […]

ShareGood Material but Too Episodic and Superficial Albert Moehler is a Christian phenomenon. His presence for the good of God’s Kingdom seems to be everywhere, and finally he’s written a book. While I agree with almost all that Moehler has to say in “Culture Shift” I still don’t think it’s a great book. This is […]